Most airline executives are weighing how many flights to cut and from where.

Peter Dolara, American Airlines' senior vice president in Miami, is adding new flights and destinations to the company's hub at Miami International Airport.

With 276 daily flights, American is running the largest schedule from Miami in 20 years. To exploit the opening of Miami's new $3 billion north terminal, which serves as the front door to American passengers, the carrier plans to grow its Miami flight operations next year.

Does American's Miami hub compete with operations of low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways, who serve customers from Fort Lauderdale to Latin America and Caribbean destinations?

We compete with anybody that flies. We are used to the competition. And we find our strongest points being marketing, promotions, sales and the relationships developed through the years.

My question is will Jetblue or Spirit counter at FLL and over the next week announce something?

Quoting Njdevilsin03 (Thread starter):My question is will Jetblue or Spirit counter at FLL and over the next week announce something?

The new terminal not being open wasn't holding them back in opening new routes as they already had enough gates, etc. Most of the newly announced AA routes at MIA are actually MQ routes to secondary cities in the USA and the Bahamas:

They are increasing capacity in some existing routes however, and as the US economy recovers next year AA will surely announce a fair share of new routes out of MIA next year.

As for the new terminal, without a functioning train or walkway its a nightmare for non-marathon runners. The old A is still not open, yet they have already moved the ticket counters over there and shut down the counters and skycap service at the center of the aiport, so all passengers (no exceptions) have to make a pilgrimage over to their gates in the old D and E. Not very intelligent. Its probably a function of botched construction schedules, but AA and Dolara don't do enough to counter the incompetency of the MIA airport management.

Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 10):What I don't understand is that the train is functioning. It's running, without passengers!

Like the train at IAD. Supposed to open late 2009, but the web site the date will not be announced "until system testing is complete." Maybe that testing is taking longer than expected both IAD and MIA?

The last time I was in Dulles, it seemed the train was running w/o pax, but they were working on some escalators down to the station.

The trains have been running for about 12-16 months now. Maybe some certificate issues, or a problem with the train being programmed to only run between three stations, since the fourth station will not be ready until late 2010.

Quoting JBAirwaysFan (Reply 13):IIRC, in that thread about AA flying FLL-MIA, someone mentioned that AA is in talks with DAB. With the economy starting to recover next year (supposedly), I suppose we can see Eagle on DAB-MIA.

AA is looking to expand intra-Florida, but when it comes to what central Florida coastal airport to choose, it will likely be DAB or MLB, and I bet AA goes to MLB.

Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 14):it will likely be DAB or MLB, and I bet AA goes to MLB.

How so? I am unsure of incentives on the table for MLB, but I do know that DAB gives pretty generous incentives to new (or in this case, returning) airlines.

Not to mention, DAB has been getting all the new service before MLB (with the exception of those start ups). DAB got US before MLB, they got UA at the time, MLB didn't. We also had FL and MLB didn't. Plus, I think DAB's tourism is stronger than the space coast.

However, you could very well be right, especially considering DL's huge blow up at MLB earlier in the decade with 3x daily JFK flights, 2x daily flights to DCA/IAD along with the CVG, ATL (maybe DFW prior to the closure of DL's Hub there, I can't remember, though I know DAB had weekend DFW service for a short time before Chp 11).

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 8):
Quoting OP3000 (Reply 2):
As for the new terminal, without a functioning train or walkway its a nightmare for non-marathon runners

Tell me about it...I had a very long walk just the other day....

Yes. And I don't mind the walk for myself that much unless I'm running tight on time. But its unacceptable for a lot of passengers who can't walk far or fast.

Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 12):The trains have been running for about 12-16 months now. Maybe some certificate issues, or a problem with the train being programmed to only run between three stations, since the fourth station will not be ready until late 2010.

The airport management is a circus show. But still, the airline could manage around that a lot better, like keeping some of the old counters open. Also, even if the D train would be working, they are still using the E gates which are half the airport away from their ticket counters.

And given the distances, the AA special assistance staff for disabled passengers at MIA is unacceptably hideous. The other day I traveled with an elderly relative on MIA-SJO, and given the long walk she requested a wheelchair when booking the ticket weeks before. When arriving at the AA ticket counter in front of the old terminal A they did not have any wheelchairs available, and was told she would have to wait 20-30 minutes because there were 12 other passengers waiting for one too. It wasn't even a busy travel day. The wait basically guaranteed she would miss the flight, so end result she had to take the long walk from the A counters to D50 in order to make the flight. Unreal. And not that it should make a difference, but on top of everything she was flying on a business class fare.

It isn't nearly the first time she has had problems with special assistance; more than half the time they never show up at the gate upon flight arrival at MIA, which rarely happens at most airports.

Quoting JBAirwaysFan (Reply 15):
How so? I am unsure of incentives on the table for MLB, but I do know that DAB gives pretty generous incentives to new (or in this case, returning) airlines.

MLB has more lucrative business travel - including a good amount of travel in the aerospace industry. MLB doesn't really need to present a lucrative incentive package - it is a high-fare airport that caters to high-yield traffic.

That's not to say both won't happen. AA finally realizes that it can compete with DL and US for domestic connections within Florida via MIA.

Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 23):They won't base CR7s in Miami, but then again there are zero ERJ-145s based in Miami, and iMIA is approaching three dozen daily ERJ flights.

Thats right.....I forgot that there is no jet base in MIA.

I couldn't even start to tell you the amount of pax that come to our ticket counter to check in for flights from JFK to MIA and from MIA to XXX. All these pax are starting their trips on B6 and then picking up AA in JFK. Having a MIA flight would be huge!

25 USAirALB
: Or how bout ALB! I'd love to see them restore flights to MTH.

26 MAH4546
: ORD-ALB needs to return first. With more RJ capacity coming, though, I think AA will return to ALB and PVD in 2011 and add more smaller cities from O

27 Thomacf
: I cant believe AA cant fill a mainline 737 once a day CLE - MIA - CLE. Especially from Sept - May on the early morning banks. CO mainline year round t

28 USAirALB
: But you do think they will return? Thats good. It was weird how they restored MDT before ALB and PVD, but MDT doesnt have WN.

29 MAH4546
: They can fill it, they just don't fly it. I don't get why. It's a glaring whole in the network. Two daily ERJs to Norfolk, and nothing to CLE! Not to

30 Mke717spotter
: Is the article discussing flights that already HAVE been added to MIA or flights that WILL be added in the future? Regardless, I think its time for AA

31 MAH4546
: I've been told as many as a dozen cities might be added in 2010, starting with already announced Birmingham and Pensacola. AA is at 276 departures no

32 Wedgetail737
: I'm holding out hope that AA will begin an early morning departure on the SEA-MIA route using either a 757 or 738.

33 S4popo
: Doesn't AA currently codeshare with AS? That would probably cannibalize the AS flight.

34 TSRA
: I wonder if AA will start expanding MIA to the Midwest, like MCI, OMA, OKC, etc. On an "outside the box" concept, how about tag ons like ICT-XNA-MIA w

35 Wedgetail737
: Not necessarily. AA codeshares or used to codeshare with AS on their SEA-ORD route. Besides the AS flight to MIA leaves around 1PM. I think AA would